New West Houston Institute

Owner:
Houston Community College

Project Area:
115,000 Square Feet

The West Houston Institute (“The Institute”), proposed at Westheimer and Eldridge, will be a three story state of the art Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Career facility serving the educational and workforce needs of the West Houston Community. Designed to actively host 2,500 enrolled students, The Institute is to be a center of academic excellence, innovation and engagement, creating partnerships with area businesses, K-12 Districts, and universities. Multiple laboratories are found throughout the space, including engineering labs, physics labs, biology labs, and computer science labs, among other specialty science labs.

The building also includes a designated Maker’s Space, with focused areas for multiple divisions of the arts. Spaces include classrooms and equipment for ceramics, jewelry making, painting and sandblasting, sculpture, metal working, wood working, a kiln, and a collaborative assembly space for large art lectures or group instruction. The Institute also includes a conference center, collaboratorium, learning commons, media commons (a one stop shop for audio and digital media), instructional areas, and administrative suites.